Eugene l



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{ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

EUGENE L. MAUPAI, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY. I

PROCESS OF DYEING RAW SILK.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known. that I, EUGENE L. MAUPAI,a

citizen of the United States vof America,

residing at West New York, Hudson county, State of New Jersey, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Dyeing Raw Silk, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to-an improvement in the process of dyeing raw silk. One of the objects of my invention is to dye single thread or grege silk, containing natural gum, while in the hank or warp.

Sofar as I am aware, the dyeing of untwisted silk containingnatural ,gum while in the hank or warp has never-been successfully accomplished, that isto say, dyed to produce a; fast color, for the reason that the gumin the silk dissolved, causing the silk or hank tobecome a compact mass which made the weaving or throwing thereof al-.

most impossible. v

To accomplish the result. sought for, I

preserve the natural gum. in the silk, so as to maintain the threads in the natural state:

' until the dyeing operation has been completed. By preserving the gum I am able to prevent the mass of silk from becoming matted, which would prevent the ready separation of the strands or threads. To pres serve the gum I treat the silk so as to harden same to 'make it proof against dissolving I during the operations prior to the final step,

whichconsists in removing the gum from the dyed silk.

To accomplish the partial hardening of the gum in, the silk, I subject the silk threads, while in the,hank or warp, to an acid bath, such as sulfuric or hydrochloric be used for dyeing. The action of thesemordantingor fixing elements. is to still fu-rther harden the gum and will also roduce.

acid, diluted with warm water, the temperature of the water depending upon color re-. quirements.

I After the silk has been subjected to the gum preserving or hardening step, I subject the same to the action of a solution of alum, or of chrome-acetate, or of chrome chlorid, or

of nitrate of iron (or any iron-liquor used in dyeing), all depending upon the color to an insulation around each thread, said insulation protecting the hardened gum in or on the threads against the action of the alkali or acid present inthe dyeing. solution.

The threadswhich have been treated as ing the ceraceous matter in Specification of Letters Patent. Patentd Mar, 2, 1920, Applicationfiled lllay 23,1919. Serial No.- 295,250. l

above described, will be pliable but firm and can worked for a considerable length of time in the dyeing solution without affectin the silk.

After the operation just described has been completed, the silk may be dyed in the -usual manner. ,The dye employed will of course be such as has an aflinity for the particular hardening fluid or preservative employed to produce the insulation hereinbefore set forth.

When the raw silk treated as described has been dried, after the dyeing operation, it will be ready for weaving. After the weaving operation has been performed, the fabric will be boiled in a strong solution of soap and water, which will eliminate the gum or ceraceous matter and bring out the color and luster in the fabric.

It will be apparent that-I preserve the ceraoeous matter or gum in the raw silk until after the dyeing and Weaving operations, the removal of the gum being the final operation. The-retention'of the gum maintains each thread in the hank an individual element, and hence they can be readily sep arated when they are to be woven or'thrown. The dyeing operation is not in the least hampered by the presence of the gum, as the dye will penetrate the gum, but will not soften or dissolve same, owing to the hardening process described. As the dye will enetrate and passthrough the gum, the silk ber will be affected or dyed thereby.

I One of the advantages of my improved process is that the threads comprising a hank of silk can treated in untwisted condition in hanks or warps; or in other words, the natural gum preserved or hardened in each thread composing the bank, thus en-- abling the storage of the hanks for dyeing at a future time. In other words, silk threads can be preserved for a considerable' dyeing operation does not necessarily have to the gum present immediately follow the hardening or insulation of the gum in or on' the silk threads.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The process of dyeing untwisted silk threads consisting in hardening the natural gum or ceraceous matter therein contained, then dyeing the silk, and finally removing the gum or ceraceous matter.

2. The process of dyeing untWisted silk threads in the hanks, consisting infirst subjecting the silk to a diluted acid bath to harden the natural gum 'or the like in or on the same, then mordanting the threads to render the gum resistant to the action of an acid and alkali, then dyeing the thus treated silk, and finally removing the gummy or I ceraceous matter.

fabric.

5. Subjecting raw silk threads to the action of diluted acid to harden the natural gum or the like in or onsaid threads, then coating the thus treated gum with an alkali and acid resisting elen'1ent,-then dyeing the silk, then Weaving the silk into a fabric, then subjecting the Wovenfabric to the action of a strong solution of soap and water to remove the gum therefrom.

6. A step in the process of dyeing raw silk,

consisting in artificially hardening the nat1i-- .ral, gum in or on the silk by first treating the same With an acid bath, and then With mordanting elements.

7. A step in the process of-dyeing raw silk, consisting in first treating the raw silk With a dilute acid hardening solution, and then Withmordanting elements adapted to further har den the gum therein and to insulatethe same against the action of acid and alkali con-v tained in dyeing solutions.

8. The process of dyeing untwisted raw silk threads, consisting in first treating the silk threads to preserve the natural gum or the like in or on the same, then dyeing the silk threads With the gum preservative thereon, and finally removing the gum after the silk threads have been dyed.

9. In the process of dyeing raw silk, the step consisting in subjecting the artificially hardened gum coating of the silk thread to the action of solution of chrome acetate to still further harden the gum and produce more complete insulation around the thread.

10. In the process of dyeing raw silk, the step consisting insubjecting the artificially hardened gum coating of the silk thread to the action of a second hardening agent for completing the hardening of the gum and the insulation ofthe thread.

Signed at'New York city, N. Y., this 21 day of May, 1919.

EUGENE L. MAUPAI.

' Witnesses:

' EDWARD A. JARVIS,

MAURICE BLOCK. 

